For some time now I have been considering modelling a Georgian Palm House / Conservatory type building as a project to help me learn materials and lighting in Cycles.
First stage of course is to build the model and to try and keep me motivated with it I thought I would post progress here.
The first stage is to block out the building to try and get a sense of scale for the structure.
Update: Progress from last post
I think the proportions of the building are about right, though the inner atrium columns may need to be a little thinner. It still needs blocking out a little more before I start adding the detail.
I found a little time today to start detailing the cast iron colums and support brackets for the central atrium.
Found some time to complete the central atrium, next up will be the dome and roof.
The roof and windows are starting to give it the feeling of scale I am looking for. Next up is the glass
Why am I having the impression that the image is stretched? Have you added some focal length or some effects in the compositor? 
No effects used - because the camera needs to be inside the building I have had to used a very short focal length of around 10mm, which is distorting the image.
-A lot of the materials look quite matte right now with little or no glossiness, if the white objects are supposed to be semi-reflective, it doesn’t seem that way right now.
-When doing the glass, you should search around for a trick where you can use a light path node to make the glass shader visible only to the camera rays while making the indirect light only see a transparent shader, this will really cut down on the number of samples needed to render the glass.
An example (note; it’s possible to change the math node mode to ‘subtract’ to ensure visibility for caustics as well).
@Ace Dragon - Thanks for the pointer on the light path node, I haven’t really looked too deeply at cycles yet, but the link you posted certainly looks to have a lot of useful information. At the moment I am concentrating on the modelling, with only basic diffuse materials to differentiate between the stone and ironwork.
Other things I need to learn about include HDRI environment and lighting. Adding image textures and UV maps with cycles etc, etc. The weather isn’t forcast to be very nice over Easter here in England, so I might get some time to work on this model.
Found out how to add a HDRI world texture, which has made a big difference to the image. The light path node has certainly improved the sun lamps shadows.
Added a spiral staircase to the atrium and mre detail to the roof and floor.
Next will be to add a few plants.
It’s going to take a lot of plants to fill this, the palm is looking a little bit “Johnny Castaway” I will need to look at how to use Blenders tree and plant scripts.
I have spent a little time working out how to apply image textures in cycles, it’s beginning to help me understand how the node system works.
Still plodding on with this, adding textures as I get time.
I have noticed the shading on the bottom of the Pillars (areas in shadow) are following the base mesh and not being smoothed. Is this a limitation in Cycles? I suppose a workaround would be to add a subsurf modifier and increase the mesh density.
It’s taken quite a while, but finally most of the stonework is finished. the stonework around the raised beds needs adding, it will then be time to start working on improving the appearance of the tropical plants.
I think it looks pretty awsome!
Thanks Pieter34. There is still a lot to do before I have the image I want.
I see it is your first post, welcome to the forum,
Rob
